Vikings running back Adrian Peterson stops to sign an autograph for Chris Donley and wishes him well at a practice Tuesday, August 27, 2013 at Winter Park in Eden Prairie. Donley, who has been diagnosed with Stage IV cancer, could not get out of the car due to temperatures in the 90s. Vikings Hall of Fame guard Randall McDaniel and his wife Marianne arranged the special visit for Donley and his family through Vikings coach Leslie Frazier. (Photo courtesy of the Donley family)

Yet as he received his final treatment, Donley relayed a message to his doctor.

“You better let me go,” he said, “so I can go practice.”

In one of his darkest moments, Donley did what was natural to him: He turned to the Minnesota Vikings, a franchise the Minneapolis native has loved for all of his 57 years, 35 of them as a season-ticket holder.

The Vikings, and all their highs and lows, have always provided a purple-hued narrative for his family’s story.

Thanks to Vikings Hall of Fame guard Randall McDaniel and his wife Marianne, the Donleys spent Tuesday afternoon at Winter Park, a special guest of head coach Leslie Frazier. And while he remained in his blue Toyota Corolla, Donley insisted his loved ones pose for pictures on the practice field and relish the behind-the-scenes access to their beloved team.

“The last three months have been a nightmare,” son Cory Donley said, “so (Tuesday) was a chance to let all the built-up tension get released. We had a chance not to think about what dad is going through for a few hours.

“It was an amazing day for everybody.”

THE PASSION

Chris Donley attended Roosevelt High School in Minneapolis, where he started dating Pam Modig during their senior year there.

“He had this beautiful red hair, and I had to meet him,” Pam said. “He is a very quiet man, and I am just the opposite; it was meant to be.”

A standout baseball player, who played at Normandale Community College, Chris severely sprained his ankle before a scheduled tryout with the Cincinnati Reds. He will say he didn’t pursue his baseball dream because he didn’t want to leave Pam.

“I said he was a chicken,” she said.

On Nov. 6, 1976, Chris and Pam married. The next day, the Vikings moved to 7-1-1 by defeating the Detroit Lions 31-23. On their honeymoon, the couple watched the game on TV.

For the past 35 years, they’ve lived in the same house in Fridley, where they raised their sons Ryan and Cory. Chris has worked for different truck lines, most recently Old Dominion Freight Line in Blaine. He passed his passion for sports to his boys, and jumped at every chance to coach them.

On Sundays, the Donleys rallied around the Vikings.

“As long as I can remember, I’ve been a Viking fan,” Cory said. “I sat on his lap, watching Viking games as a baby.”

Cory can vividly recall Randy Moss’ first game on Sept. 6, 1998, when he scored two touchdowns against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the Metrodome. And when Adrian Peterson gained an NFL record 296 rushing yards against the San Diego Chargers on Nov. 4, 2007.

But the games that mattered most were against the Green Bay Packers. The boys always fought to see who would attend that game at the Metrodome with their dad.

“We watch every game together,” Cory said.

Except one.

Because of a basketball tournament for Ryan, the family couldn’t watch the Vikings lose a 49-37 shootout to the St. Louis Rams in an NFC Divisional Playoff Game on Jan. 16, 2000.

“It’s just a passion that we have for the Vikings. It’s something that’s brought us together,” Cory said. “They always bring new hope to our family.”

THE DIAGNOSIS

Two days before the 2012 season opener, Ryan’s wife Amber gave birth to their son, Will. On Sept. 9, the Vikings defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 26-23 at the Metrodome.

On Sept. 12, though, the Donleys got bad news: Chris was diagnosed with renal kidney failure. The family watched the Vikings’ 23-20 loss to the Indianapolis Colts on Sept. 16 from Chris’ room at Unity Hospital in Fridley.

Chris received dialysis three days a week, and quickly returned to work. Pam and the boys immediately got tested to see who could donate a kidney, but in the ensuing check ups, doctors discovered cancer, which quickly spread all over his body.

On June 17, Ryan turned 30 and the Donleys discovered Chris had Stage IV Metastatic Melanoma.

Everyone around them, though, has stepped up support.

Cousins in California call to check in. Ryan and Amber bring Will to visit almost daily. And Cory, who graduated from the Culinary Arts program at St. Cloud Technical and Community College, has put off his career to help his parents at home.

For a while, Chris was on a no-sodium diet, and he couldn’t consume any dairy.

“Everything had to be bland,” Cory said.

But Chris liked when Cory made pork chops with cornbread stuffing and gravy.

“Now we give him whatever he wants,” Cory quietly said. “Because, you know…”

Chris spends much of his time in bed. Some of Chris’ cousins were going to come to their house to watch Thursday’s preseason finale against the Tennessee Titans, but Chris was too tired to leave his room.

In the past two weeks, he has used a wheelchair to get around, and a nurse bandages his tumors. Pam is looking into hospice care.

“It’s been a lot of ups and downs,” Ryan said, “and we’re just going day by day and doing the best we can to spend time together and have great experiences.”

THE HIGHLIGHT

That’s why Tuesday was so important, not just for Chris but for the family, as well. That’s why the McDaniels wanted everything to go off without a hitch.

They needed special permission so Chris could watch practice from his car. At one point, Will honked the car horn, causing some players to hesitate because the sound is similar to the air horn used at practice.

When practice ended, players usually race for the locker room to cool down and shed their pads; but the McDaniels convinced Everson Griffen, Jared Allen and Adrian Peterson to visit with the Donleys.

Peterson signed an autograph, posed for a picture and parted by saying “God Bless,” adding that he would pray for Chris.

“That was amazing,” Cory said. “They’re not heroes, but you look up to them, and you realize that they genuinely care about other people.”

Added Ryan, “For them to spend a few minutes with my dad, it’s something he’ll never forget, and it’s something we got to experience as a family.

“Will having that experience with his grandpa is truly amazing.”

On Thursday, after hearing Chris’ story, Allen was humbled that his brief stop resonated so much.

“It puts things in perspective, how blessed we are and the different paths peoples’ lives take, and how their paths cross,” Allen said. “I mean, if 30 seconds of my time can cheer up a man who is fighting for his life, then you just do it.”

Yet McDaniel said he sensed it was yet another unselfish act from an unselfish man. While they sat in the car together, Randall recalled Chris imploring one of his sons to get in a picture.

“It’s his final wish, just to watch his family enjoy this,” McDaniel said.

On Friday, doctors informed Chris they were ending his dialysis because of another complication.

“It’s tough to watch,” Cory said. “You know you’re going to lose your dad, and you think about that every night before you go to bed.”

A father himself, Ryan said he’s grateful that his father didn’t pass suddenly.

“We’re lucky that we’ve had this time,” he said.

And he’s inspired by the way his father has handled the adversity. He recalled being at an appointment when they were checking for cancer.

“Everything was popping up orange; it was frightening,” Ryan said. “But he said, ‘Well, we just got to fight this thing.’

“It shows that life is worth fighting for, and when you have a family and loved ones you care about, you want to stick around, and he’s been willing to do that.”

As you comment, please be respectful of other commenters and other viewpoints. Our goal with article comments is to provide a space for civil, informative and constructive conversations. We reserve the right to remove any comment we deem to be defamatory, rude, insulting to others, hateful, off-topic or reckless to the community. See our full terms of use here.

More in Sports

Ahmad Rashad has been there for many of Michael Jordan’s landmark moments. Now, it’s time for Jordan to return the favor. Rashad, the former Vikings wide receiver, became good friends with Jordan during the 1980s when Rashad was an NBC broadcaster and Jordan was starring with the Chicago Bulls. Rashad was the emcee for Jordan’s two Bulls retirement ceremonies in...

Four NCAA assistant basketball coaches were among those arrested on federal corruption charges Tuesday after they were caught taking thousands of dollars in bribes to steer NBA-destined college stars toward certain sports agents and financial advisers, authorities said.

CLEVELAND — Coming off a disappointing season at Triple-A Rochester, South Korean first baseman ByungHo Park has decided to remain in the Twin Cities for the bulk of this offseason in hopes of righting his major league career. “As I understand it, he is going to work out stateside for the offseason,” Twins chief baseball officer Derek Falvey said. “He’ll...

SAN DIEGO — Taj Gibson made a point to single out one player after the Timberwolves’ first practice of training camp Saturday — Shabazz Muhammad. “He kind of set the tone in my eyes of how hard he was playing and moving his feet, and that’s where we’re going to need,” Gibson said. “Every day you’re probably not going to...

When Conor Rhoda made his first collegiate start last season against Maryland, the Gophers quarterback hadn’t really been hit since his senior year at Cretin-Derham Hall in 2012. After being a backup and scout-team member, the Eagan native was looking to feel like a real football player again. Now with three more starts this season, Rhoda feels like he’s grown...